CHAPTER 364
The doctor arrived just as Harmony emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp and her expression guarded.
Zach hovered nearby, his eyes fixed on her as the doctor began examining her injuries.
At first glance, the wounds seemed to be superficial—a collection of grazes and bruises that, while painful, appeared manageable.
But as the doctor continued his assessment, his expression darkened. He turned to Zach, his tone grim.
“Her injuries aren’t limited to surface wounds. She has muscle strain and bone trauma. Her arms and jaw were deliberately dislocated and then reset. This was no accident—it was intentional.”
The revelation struck Zach like a lightning bolt. His fists clenched at his sides, his mind racing with fury. The thought of someone inflicting such cruelty on Harmony made his blood boil. He could only think of one person capable of such malice.
“Arianna,” he hissed under his breath, his jaw tightening.
How could she stoop so low?
Zach’s anger seethed as he paced the room.
He couldn’t comprehend it. How could Xander, the sharpest and most logical of their trio, continue to tolerate someone like Arianna?
It was as if she had cast a spell over him, turning him blind to her vindictive nature.
When the doctor finished, Harmony winced, her body trembling with pain as her face grew pale once more.
Seeing her in such a fragile state broke whatever restraint Zach had left. He crossed the room quickly, his footsteps purposeful, and knelt beside her, his expression filled with worry.
Zach strode toward Harmony from the far end of the hall, his mind consumed by fury.
Arianna had crossed every line imaginable, using Xander’s affection as a shield to torment others without consequence. Yet, with Harmony’s refusal to involve Xander or burden him with the truth, there was little he could do to intervene. It was maddening.
As he approached, Harmony’s gaze lifted to meet his. She remained silent, waiting as Zach’s anger simmered to a boil.
When the moment was just right, her eyes softened, and tears began to pool. In a blink, her expression shifted to one of vulnerability, her reddened eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Her sudden sob caught Zach off guard, halting his steps. When he turned to see her crying, his frustration melted into concern. In an instant, he crossed the remaining distance and knelt beside her.
“Bunny, why are you crying? Is it your injuries? Do they hurt more than you’re letting on?” His voice was gentle, his earlier anger now replaced by worry.
Harmony shook her head, her voice trembling with emotion.
“No, it’s not that. I just… I remembered things from the past, and it overwhelmed me. I didn’t mean to make a scene. I’m sorry for being so weak in front of you.”
Zach frowned, his heart aching at her words.
“Don’t apologize for this,” he said firmly, grabbing a tissue from the nearby table and handing it to her.
“What were you remembering? Was it something that hurt you?”
He watched her intently, his concern evident, waiting for her answer.
Harmony dabbed at her tears with the tissue, her voice soft and filled with sorrow.
“You know, Xander once told me… that he cared about me, that he wanted us to be together.”
Zach’s brows furrowed in genuine surprise. He had always known that Harmony and Xander were inseparable during their childhood, so much so that everyone around them assumed they were destined for each other.
But hearing that Xander had explicitly confessed his feelings was new to him—a revelation he hadn’t expected.
“Wait… so, does that mean…?” Zach stumbled over his words, trying to piece things together. He finally took a deep breath and asked,
“Did you turn him down? Is that why you left for abroad?”
The idea didn’t sit right with him. It seemed implausible, especially knowing how much Harmony’s feelings for Xander had always been clear to him. The way her eyes lit up whenever she spoke about Xander was unlike anything he had seen before.
“Reject him?” Harmony let out a bitter laugh, her smile tinged with sadness.
“Why would I reject the one thing I wanted most? I loved him, Zach. Being with him would’ve made me the happiest person alive. But…” Her voice broke slightly, and she looked away as if the memory was too painful to revisit.
“It wasn’t my choice. Grandma King disapproved of me. She didn’t think I was good enough for Xander. Back then, we were too young, too powerless to defy her. So, we… we had no choice but to go our separate ways.”
Her words hung heavy in the air, and Zach’s heart clenched as he saw the pain in her eyes—a pain she had clearly carried for years.
Zach was utterly taken aback. The revelation that Grandma King had been the one to tear them apart was something he hadn’t expected.
“I’ve tried so hard to forget Xander over the years, Zach. I know he’s married now, and I shouldn’t hold onto these feelings, but…” Harmony’s voice cracked, and she clenched her hands tightly, her tone filled with anguish.
“I just can’t help myself. He’s still in my heart, and deep down, I know I still have a place in his too.”
Her words carried an unspoken weight, a hint of something she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—say outright.
She hesitated for a moment before pressing on.
“The regret of walking away from him when we were younger… it haunts me. Every single day. And if I let go of him again now, I know I’ll carry that regret with me for the rest of my life.”
She turned her tearful eyes toward Zach, her expression pleading.
“That’s why I have to try one more time, Zach. I need to fight for him. Will you help me?”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
